Bubble-game apparatus



(MMM') E E. MQNAUGHTON. BUBBLE GAME APPARATUS- No. 519,770. Patented May 15, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIZA ESTELLE MCNAUGHTON, OF PHOENIX, NEW YORK.

BUBBLE-GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,770, dated May 15, 1894.

Application filed August 18,1893. Serial No. 83,487- (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZA ESTELLE Mo- NAUGHTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Phoenix, county of Oswego, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bubble- Game Apparatus, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved device or game for playing with soap bubbles, and the invention consists in various features of construction, which will be fully described in the following specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings :Figure l is a perspective View of a game apparatus embodying the invention in its preferred forms. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the table with the cover removed. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the table on the line 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side View of the bat in its preferred form. Fig. 5 is a cross section of the same. Fig. 6 is a cross section of a modified form of bat. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the rings.

Referring to said drawings, the frame or table upon which the game is to be played is preferably made collapsible, as shown, so that the game may be packed in compact form for carriage, and in the preferred form shown consists of two side bars a and two end bars I), and a central bar 0 parallel with the side bars a. The bars a have a detachable connection with the bar 1) preferably a tongue and groove connection 1, as shown, and the bar 0 is held in place in the end bars I; by a groove 2. The covering A forming the table proper upon which the game is played consists of any suitable woven or felted material having a nappy or velvety surface so as to avoid breakage of the bubbles, as far as possible, flannel being preferably used as a cheap and efficient material. Woolen or other ma terial having a nappy or velvety surface, as described, secures the desired result by supporting the bubbles by the ends of the nap or pile, so that the bubbles do not come in contact with the body of the material, and the bubble does not adhere to the cloth, as is the case with common cotton or linen cloth un less such a surface be raised thereon by wear or otherwise, and the cloth is preferably suspended, as shown, as this is found to make a better surface for the bubble and it secures the best conditions for keeping the cloth dry, which obviously is important. is preferably secured permanently to the side bars, as by tacks 3, or in any other suitable manner, so that when the end bars are detached these side bars and the cover may be rolled up together and after the frame is put This cover A together and the bars a separated by the end provided with legs 6 which enter these holes,

thus positively securing together the bars a, b, of the table, when the rings are in place.

The rings B may be of any suitable construction, but are preferably formed as shown, of wires d bent into circular form and with the ends bent outward so as to form the legs 6, the wires d,being covered with material similar to that of which the cover A is formed, preferably flannel, which is sewed together about the rings and between the legs 6 so as to hold the rings in form.

In addition to the rings B at the corners, any suitable number and arrangement of rings may be used to complete the game, or the table may be used with only the corner rings if desired, or any other devices used therewith to complete the game. As shown, the bar 0 is provided also with three pairs of openings 5, which receive the legs 6 of rings 13 similar to those at the corners, the legs, preferably, being made of such length as to keep the surface of the cover horizontal when these rings are inserted. This table may be used alone, and the bubbles blown through the rings by the breath or a fan, but there is preferably used therewith a bat which in itself forms a part of the invention. This bat C consists of a frame of any suitable material, over which is stretched a piece of woven or felted material having a nappy or velvety surface, preferably flannel, as in the case of the cover Aand rings B. This bat may be of any suitable form, and made in any suitable manner, but for simplicity and convenience of construction, it is preferably elliptical in shape, as shown, and made simply by bending a piece of rattan, willow, or similar light flexible material 6 into the proper to form and covering it with flannel 7. Only one layer'of flannel may be used, the cloth being stitched at the edges about the frame, as shown in Fig. 6, but the preferred form of construction is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in

which the cover is so formed as to provide two separate surfaces, so that the bat may be turned when one side has become wet.

The .frame is preferably formed of rattan,

willow or similar light, flexible material bent to proper shape, and the cover is preferably formed of two pieces of flannel or other suitable material which is then turned inside out and stretched over the frame, the ends-of the cover being secured on the ends of the frame and a handle formed by Winding the ends 5 the bat as. it rolls off the table and its safe return to the table being given suitable counts. Any limit desired may be set to the turn, but it will be found preferable to limit the turn to the breaking of the bubble, thus making the length of the play and consequently the score depend upon the skillful handling of the bubble. This device is preferably used in connection with bubbles formed of a soap and water 5 compound, as fully described and claimed in another application and containing a small quantity of some suitable gum, such as gum tragacanth, which are much stronger than common soap bubbles, but it will be understood that the device may be used with bubbles of any other suitable composition.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the special devices forming the game apparatus shown, as it is obvious that devices of many other forms formed of such material or provided with such a covering may be used and come within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is- 1. A device for playing with bubbles having abase or table provided with a covering of material having a nappy or velvety surface for contact with the bubbles and de vices marking the progress of the game and with which the bubbles are liable to come into contact, also having a surface of material having a nappy or velvety surface for contact with the bubbles, substantially as described.

2. A device for playing with bubbles having abase or table provided witha suspended covering of material having a nappy or velvety surface for contact with the bubbles and devices marking the progress of the game and with which the bubbles are liable to come into contact, also having a surface of material having a nappy or velvety surface for contact with the bubbles, substantially as described.

3. A device for playing with bubbles, consisting of a supporting base or table incombination with a covering of material having a nappy or velvety surface, and a series of upright rings secured in said supporting base also provided with a covering of material having a nappy or velvety surface, substantially as-described.

4. A device for playing with bubbles, consisting of a supporting base or table in combination with a suspended covering of mate rial having a nappy or velvety surface, and a series of upright rings secured in said supporting base also provided with a covering of material having a nappy or velvety surface, substantially asdescribed.

5. A device for playing with bubbles, consisting of a table of material having a nappy or velvety surface, a series of upright rings thereon having a similar surface, and a bat having asimilar surface, substantially as described.

6. A device for playing with bubbles consisting of a collapsible supporting frame in combination With a suspended covering of material having a nappy or velvety surface and a series of upright rings provided with a similar surface, substantially as described.

'7. A device for playing with bubbles consisting of a collapsible supporting frame in combination with a suspended covering of woven or felted material having a nappy or velvety surface and a series of upright rings provided with a similar surface and having legs securing the parts of the frame together at the corners, substantially as described.

8. A device for playing with bubbles consisting of a supporting collapsible frame in combination with a suspended covering of material having a nappy or velvety surface, a series of upright rings provided with a similar surface and having legs uniting the parts of the frame together at the corners, and a series of similar rings inside the edges of the table, substantiallyas described.

9. A device for playing with bubbles. consisting of a supporting collapsible frame consisting of side and end barsv each provided with an opening at the end whereby openings opposite each other are provided at the cor-' ners, detachable joints connecting said bars, a suspended cover of material having a nappy or velvety surface,.permanently' secured to two of the bars and detachably by hooksor equivalent catches on the other bars, and the rings B covered with material having a nappy or velvety surface and provided with the legs 6 entering the openings in the bars and securing the latter together, substantially as described.

10. The combination with side and end bars a, I), having openings 5 at the corners and hooks 4 on the end bars, of cover A stretched on said bars and attached to the end bars by said hooks, and ringsB havinglegs 6 entering said openings 5, substantially as described.

11. The combination with side and end bars a, b, having openings 5 at the corners and hooks 4 onthe end bars, of cross bar chaving openings 5, cover A stretched on said bars and attached to the end bars by said hooks, and rings B having legs 6 entering said openings 5, substantially as described.

12. A bubble bat having a suspended covering of material having a nappy or velvety surface, substantially as described.

13. A bubble bat having a suspended covering of material having a nappy or velvety surface and formed with two plies for the opposite faces of the bat, substantially as de- 2 5 scribed.

14. A bubble bat consisting of a piece of flexible material e bent to proper form and having a suspended covering 7 of material having a nappy or velvety'surface, substan- 3o tially as described.

15. A bubble bat consisting of a piece of flexible material e bent to proper form and having the suspended covering 7 of material having a nappy or velvety surface and in- 35 closing the frame between two plies, whereby separate plies for the two faces of the bat are provided, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntoset my hand in the presence of two subscribing 0 witnesses.

ELIZA Es rELLE MCNAUGHTON.

Witnesses:

T. F. KEHOE, G. J; SAWYER. 

